St. Pete, Florida, Is the Latest Bachelorette Get together Sizzling Spot — The way to Plan a Memorable Women Journey

When Tampa, Florida, resident Jessica Venditto was determining the place to plan her bachelorette social gathering in late 2023, she didn’t should look far.

“We needed a metropolis, however not only for barhopping,” stated Venditto, who ended up internet hosting her bash simply throughout the bridge in downtown St. Pete, a few 30-minute drive from the place she lives.

“There’s extra walkability in St. Pete in comparison with Tampa, and higher resorts,” she added, noting that she and her pals opted to remain on the not too long ago up to date Vinoy Resort & Golf Membership, Autograph Assortment for the weekend, because of its wonderful pool and spacious suites prime for preparing earlier than hitting the city.

Nice year-round climate, tons of eating places and bars inside strolling distance of a spread of lodges, and powder-fine seashores close by have seen St. Pete storm onto the bachelorette social gathering scene in recent times.

“In the event you’re in downtown St. Pete on the weekend, you go searching and may’t miss operating into bachelorette events in every single place. It’s changing into increasingly more noticeable,” stated Brian Lowack, president of Go to St. Pete/Clearwater. “Your complete vacation spot has seen quite a lot of new institutions — lodges of all sizes, rooftop bars and swimming pools, elevated eating, seashore bars — all locations that lend themselves to enjoyable weekend gatherings with pals.”

Tampa resident Lauren Barnhart launched her enterprise, Tampa Bay Bachelorette, in 2022 after contemplating holding her personal bachelorette social gathering in cities like Nashville and Scottsdale (she finally selected the latter) and noticing comparable companies providing planning companies.

And whereas Barnhart’s firm provides itinerary planning and adorning companies throughout the Tampa Bay space, together with in downtown Tampa and Clearwater Seaside, St. Pete inquiries have been significantly booming these days. “The vacation spot provides the very best of each worlds for lots of teams, particularly individuals who need the nightlife of a metropolis, but additionally the seashore,” she stated.

In the event you’re planning a bachelorette social gathering in St. Pete, right here are some things to know.

Perceive the lay of the land.

“I get loads of teams that don’t perceive the distinction between downtown St. Pete and St. Pete Seaside,” stated Barnhart. Downtown St. Petersburg, the place many of the bars, eating places, and retailers are clustered, fronts Tampa Bay (which fringes the jap aspect of city). St. Pete Seaside, then again, is about an eight-mile (or 20-minute) drive west and refers back to the sandy a part of the equation, with beautiful seashores fronting the Gulf of Mexico.

“Lots of instances, teams find yourself staying at a home or lodge over on the seashore and Uber to downtown for the nightlife,” stated Barnhart. Nevertheless, in case your group prefers stepping out to brunch or a bar over the sand, merely reverse that order and plan to mattress down in downtown.

Decide the appropriate keep to your group.

In terms of the place to remain, guests to the realm are spoiled for alternative. Luxurious resorts in St. Pete Seaside embody The Don CeSar (a.okay.a. the Pink Palace), recognized for its Barbie vibes and energetic pool bar, and The Resort Zamora, with its trendy rooftop. In downtown St. Pete, in the meantime, take a look at The Vinoy Resort & Golf Membership, Autograph Assortment, retro Hollander Resort, or the brand-new Moxy St. Petersburg Downtown, full with a rooftop pool (and three-room blocks that may be cordoned off to your group). In St. Pete Seaside, Barnhart factors to boutique and retro-inspired properties like The Saint Resort and The Pearl Cabana Membership among the many locations her firm has welcomed bachelorette events.

However Bellwether Seaside Resort has the very best rooftop of all of the properties alongside the seashore, accessed by a personal elevator and providing 360-degree views of the Gulf of Mexico and Intracoastal Waterway.

You may also search for a keep barely additional south on the seashore within the charming neighborhood of Move-a-Grille, the place the Berkeley Seaside Membership has a rooftop restaurant, a enjoyable wine bar, suites that may sleep as much as six visitors, and easy accessibility to the sand.

Discover the best eating places and bars for a bachelorette social gathering.

St. Pete was not too long ago named the greatest meals metropolis within the U.S., so figuring out the place to dine and clink glasses is half the problem.

Downtown St. Pete — alongside Central Avenue, the Edge District, and the realm round Seaside Boulevard — is full of bars and eating places. All it’s a must to do is present as much as get the social gathering began, particularly Thursday via Saturday nights.

Think about kicking off the night time early with sushi and karaoke at Good Fortune, the place the Sakura Spritz cocktail is as fairly because it sounds. Lala is one other restaurant and karaoke spot the place you possibly can collect to construct your personal cheese and charcuterie boards earlier than singing all of the bride to be’s favourite songs.

In the event you’re on the lookout for one thing swankier, discover the bar scene at Allelo, a complicated Mediterranean restaurant with indoor and outside seating best for people-watching.

Sibling restaurant Juno & The Peacock, just a few doorways down, simply opened in August 2024 and is gorgeous — the patio, festooned with pink and white umbrellas and French bistro-style chairs, will make you wish to sit with an Aperol spritz and platter of oysters Rockefeller for hours.

Simply subsequent door, Pluma Lounge has Latin American-inspired cocktails impressed by locations like Lima and Tulum, in addition to a horny setting. One other cool hideaway on Seaside Drive is Helyx Restaurant, positioned inside Strive Wine.

Is your entourage the energetic kind? BYOB to the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Membership on Friday nights — it’s the world’s largest and oldest shuffleboard membership and a enjoyable scene for those who’re desirous to ease into the weekend with one thing low-key.

Watering holes to hit up later within the night time embody Concrete Jungle, with its superior basement bar, and The One Night time Stand, the place you will get snicker whereas tackling the mechanical bull. Additionally bookmark Good Night time John Boy, a 70s-themed bar with a dance flooring, disco ball, and Farah Fawcett poster lording over all of it, and My Wealthy Uncle, which has an 80s theme and all of the enjoyable you’d anticipate from the period. For a speakeasy scene, head to The Saint and Soiled Laundry.

Get some tradition on the agenda.

Go to The Dali Museum (the on-site cafe serves nice espresso drinks), or plan for excessive tea and an enchanting historical past tour at The Vinoy. Channel your internal artist with a inventive glassblowing class on the Morean Arts Heart or Zen Glass Studio & Gallery. And don’t miss a stroll or bike trip to the beautiful reimagined St. Pete Pier, with its public artwork installations, city bay seashore scattered with Adirondack chairs for lounging, and boardwalk.

Hit the seashore in model.

Florida’s seashores are recognized for his or her pure magnificence, however you may make the expertise extra trendy with a service like The Cabana Membership, which provides personal themed setups. The spreads include seashore chairs, cabanas, Yeti coolers, sunscreen, mini lockers, Bluetooth audio system, cellphone chargers, and extra, in addition to a seashore concierge service for the setup and breakdown (you possibly can even plan to remain for sundown).

It’s a blast to get off the seashore and out onto the water right here, too. Bach Boats rents pontoons with waterslides, deck boats, and different vessels to take out for the day.

No matter you do, toast early and infrequently to the very best issues on the market: greatest pals and making recollections for all times.